City government · King County, WA

Kirkland's money: where it comes from and where it goes

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended December 31, 2023), Kirkland took in $264 million and spent $275 million.

Latest recorded year: ended December 31, 2023Comes fromGoes to

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Where it comes from

City taxes51%Fees for services (sewer, garbage collection)38%Fines and other6.6%State tax money3.8%County and local tax money1.0%Federal tax money<0.1%

What stands out

21%

of Kirkland's money comes from taxes other than property, sales and income taxes.A typical U.S. city of 50,000+ people gets 7.2%.

City taxes51%

Other taxes
21%$54.8 million
What's in other taxesPublic utility taxes; other licenses and 4 more
  • Public utility taxes$20.5 million
  • Other licenses$15.0 million
  • Real estate and stock transfer taxes$10.2 million
  • Occupation and business licenses$6.1 million
  • Amusement taxes$2.5 million
  • Other selective sales taxes$425 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Property tax
16%$41.4 million
Sales tax
14%$37.3 million

Fees for services38%

Fees for services
38%$101 million
What's in fees for servicesSewer; garbage collection and 5 more
  • Sewer$34.6 million
  • Garbage collection$29.6 million
  • Other service charges$17.4 million
  • Water$16.7 million
  • Parks and recreation$2.0 million
  • Road charges$149 thousand
  • Other government-run businesses$131 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money<0.1%

Grants from Washington, paid for by the federal taxes residents also pay.

From the federal government
<0.1%$210 thousand

State tax money3.8%

Money the state passes on, paid for by the state taxes residents also pay.

From the state
3.8%$9.9 million

County and local tax money1.0%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From the county and other local governments
1.0%$2.7 million

Fines and other6.6%

Interest, rents and other
5.0%$13.4 million
Fines
1.5%$4.0 million

Where it goes

Police, fire, courts and jails35%Water, sewer, trash and utilities31%Roads, transit and parking13%Running the government and other costs9.8%Parks, recreation and libraries5.3%All other spending5.9%

What stands out

31%

of Kirkland's spending goes to water, sewer, trash and other utilities.A typical U.S. city of 50,000+ people spends 20%.

Spending by category100%

Police, fire, courts and jails
35%$97.1 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsFire protection; police and 3 more
  • Fire protection$54.2 million
  • Police$33.4 million
  • Courts and legal services$3.7 million
  • Prisons and jails$3.7 million
  • Inspections and regulation$2.2 million
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
31%$84.6 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesGarbage and solid waste; sewer systems and 1 more
  • Garbage and solid waste$37.8 million
  • Sewer systems$32.5 million
  • Water supply$14.3 million
Roads, transit and parking
13%$35.5 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways and parking
  • Roads and highways$35.2 million
  • Parking$303 thousand
Running the government and other costs
9.8%$26.8 million
What's in running the government and other costsCentral staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology); finance, tax collection and budgeting and 2 more
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$11.7 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$7.9 million
  • Other and not broken out$7.1 million
  • Other government-run businesses$147 thousand
Parks, recreation and libraries
5.3%$14.5 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation
  • Parks and recreation$14.5 million
Environment and natural resources
2.3%$6.3 million
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
  • Natural resources, farming and conservation$6.3 million
Housing and community development
1.4%$3.8 million
Social services
1.3%$3.6 million
What's in social servicesOther public welfare
  • Other public welfare$3.6 million
Interest on debt
0.8%$2.1 million
What's in interest on debtInterest on general debt and interest on water supply debt
  • Interest on general debt$2.1 million
  • Interest on water supply debt$12 thousand
Health and hospitals
0.2%$587 thousand
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$587 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

City of Kirkland. U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, individual unit file, fiscal year ended December 31, 2023.

What this covers. The money of City of Kirkland itself. Other governments that serve the same area (the city, county, school district and state) are separate and not included. Borrowing, transfers between a government's own funds, and pension trust funds are not counted as revenue.